has anyone got onto a course with grades below the asking? If so how much less?

Today's competitive world? People were getting rejected two or three years ago despite meeting requirements too, you know. It's not a new phenomenon.

The course I am doing required that I achieve 300 UCAS points to get onto it.

I only have 150.

I for one do not understand uni's who reject people that meet entry requirements or are above them, and keep people who don't...

Sometimes there's more to uni applications than merely meeting the grade requirements

That's true, but why would uni's even have entry requirements if they don't stick to them, or at least let people in who meet them, and a few who don't.

I thought getting the grades was an important part of an application?

That's true, but why would uni's even have entry requirements if they don't stick to them, or at least let people in who meet them, and a few who don't.

I thought getting the grades was an important part of an application?

Maybe they can see the applicant has talent or is capable in the subject, and puts them missing the grades down to them just messing up exams or whatever.

A-Levels really weren't for me, I was doing 1 that I actually enjoyed and 2 that I absolutley hated and was rubbish at (Maths and Classics ). And this caused me to hate college and A-levels, as a result my better A-level also suffered, I got a C when I should of been aiming for an A, that was in Graphics Design.

Well i'm currently on an Art & Design Foundation, really enjoying it and working so much better, hoping for really strong marks.
Currently applying to University hoping that my poor A-Levels won't hold me back, because I know i'm capable.

Hi,

Basically all explained in the title. I'm just curious how many people out there got into uni with grades below the asking grades and whats the most grades below the asking offer someone got into uni with. Sorry if that sounded a bit confusing

Also, I'm just saying that it's weird for universities to reject people who meet requirements, given everywhere else in their application is decent, they never messed up interview, etc, as these people have shown that they're capable also.

Also, I'm just saying that it's weird for universities to reject people who meet requirements, given everywhere else in their application is decent, they never messed up interview, etc, as these people have shown that they're capable also.

Unis have entry requirements as one means of selecting candidates and perhaps also as a means of filtering out unsuitable candidates or allowing candidates to self-select, etc. For example, the fact that I was **** at Chemistry means I didn't do it at AS/A2. A Medicine course requires scientific ability and an understanding of Chemistry, thus I wouldn't be suited to a Medicine course. The requirement of almost all medical schools to have Chemistry at A Level thus would have indicated to me (had I not figured it out long ago ) that I am not suited to a career as a medical practitioner and would have stopped me had I been deluded enough to think I was

Getting the grades is important, don't get me wrong. It's not the only thing unis have to go by, though, and those other things can come in quite important. Not getting the grades doesn't automatically mean that a student isn't cut out for their prospective uni course and the decision to take a student in after they miss their grades will often be made on a case-by-case basis. There are rarely hard and fast rules, though some departments and unis are more lenient than others.

The fact is that when you're first applying to unis, you're setting out to make an impression. If they make you an offer, you've made an impression. If you miss the grades, the person who does the decision-making has to decide how strong that initial impression was and whether the inability to make the grades changes that and if so, how much. Those who make the grades but don't receive an offer in the first place clearly either haven't made a good enough impression or have just been extremely unfortunate (luck is always involved).

I'm not advocating missing grades, btw. It's so bad for stress levels

Well if we think about this logically/chronologically for a moment. Once you've rejected someone, you've rejected them (for whatever reason). If you've accepted someone and made them a conditional offer, you're expecting them to get the grades you stipulate. If that person misses their grades (for whatever reason), you can't then ring up someone who you previously rejected and go "hi, remember us? Well you didn't cut it the first time round but someone missed their grades and there's now space for you: wanna come?", can you?

I do see what you're saying, and trust me, as a guy retaking AS year currently, next year stress levels will be very high when I send off applications.

I just hope I'm not enormously unfortunate if I meet the grades, and make a good enough impression, then still don't get in.